Hostage Taker

Book excerpt: An electrifying thriller featuring Eve Rossi, head of a secret division of the FBI—one made up of ex-convicts with extraordinary talents, oversized egos, and contempt for the rules NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE In the hushed quiet of early morning Manhattan, in front of the towering bronze doors of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, a young woman holds a sign that reads: HELP ME. For one FBI agent, a madman’s terrified hostages, and an entire city, a long and harrowing day is about to unfold. The hostage taker’s identity is unknown. But he knows who FBI agent Eve Rossi is—and everything about her past. Along with her presence, he demands five witnesses: ordinary people with some hidden connection. Defying her superiors, Eve begins a deadly dance with an adversary whose intentions are surely sinister, whose endgame is anything but certain, and whose cunning keeps him one step ahead at every turn. As Eve manages a taut hostage situation, she relies on the combined skills of her team—a secret unit inspired by France’s most notorious criminal and made up of ex-convicts with extraordinary talents, oversized egos, and contempt for the rules. Eve is up against a rapidly ticking clock. But the dangerous man calling the shots has a timetable of his own—and a searing question for his targets: What are you guilty of? As shocking revelations surface, so does another crisis nobody could anticipate—one not even Eve and her team may be able to stop. Praise for Hostage Taker “A high-voltage game of parry and thrust.”—New York Daily News “The perfect blend: an urban thriller as modern as tomorrow’s New York Times, driven by a two-hundred-year-old idea, with a main character to die for. I hope we see plenty more of Eve Rossi and her team.”—Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Personal “The concept is great. . . . The twists are good, and the emotion level climbs higher and higher. . . . Pintoff has serious potential to go into waters already charted by the likes of Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, and Allison Brennan.”—Sarah Weinman, The Crime Lady “Amazing . . . [Hostage Taker] will keep you awake nights. . . . The book boasts a dynamic heroine. . . . You will never look at the beauties of the complicated structure that is St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York quite the same again.”—Liz Smith, New York Social Diary “A high-velocity roller coaster of a thriller!”—Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author of The Skin Collector “A brilliant thriller from a gifted writer . . . Pintoff is one of the best crime writers at work today.”—Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Wish Me Dead “A gripping conclusion . . . tense and thoughtful . . . a sharp new crime series.”—Nights and Weekends “Pintoff skillfully ratchets up the tension and throws more than one curveball into this twisty, exciting read.”—Booklist (starred review) “Strong writing, a well-paced plot, and intriguing characters make this one of the best thrillers of the year. Fans of Lisa Gardner will find much to like here.”—Library Journal (starred review)